Dumon Chocolatier and Tea Room

Dumon Chocolatier and Tea Room is a small chocolate shop at Walstraat 6 in Brugge, in the Flemish Region of Belgium, on a street running off the Markt towards the Sint-Jakobskerk. It makes handmade pralines, the filled chocolates for which Belgium is known, and also serves hot chocolate, which is the other main reason visitors stop. Pralines are made in small batches with ganache, nut pastes and caramel fillings, and customers can choose individual pieces from the counter or buy a boxed assortment to take home. The hot chocolate is made with real chocolate and is thick and rich, a good match for a cold day in Brugge, and a small tea room area lets customers sit for a drink alongside their pralines. The shop is tiny and intimate, with a quiet, friendly mood, and noise is low. A hot chocolate with a few pralines costs about EUR 4-12 (about $5-14), and boxed assortments are priced by weight. It is open daily from about 10:00 to 18:00, and no reservations are needed; customers simply walk in. The shop can be crowded in the afternoon when tour groups pass, so mid-morning offers more space and a better chance of a seat. Pralines are perishable and should be kept cool, which matters for visitors buying gifts to carry home in summer. Anyone with nut allergies should ask about ingredients, since nut pastes feature in many fillings. The location near the Markt makes it an easy stop between sights.